Long span deck member



D. L. COLBATH 2,924,310

LONG SPAN DECK MEMBER Feb. 9, 1960 Filed Jan. 15. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dan L. Co/barh INVENTOR. BY fimyfimn Feb. 9, 1960 D. L. COLBATH 2,924,310

LONG SPAN DECK MEMBER Filed Jan. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dan L. Co/bafh w INVENTOR.

WW Em United States Patent This invention relates to building construction and more particularly to novel long span desk members especially adapted for roof or floor construction.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a' long span deck member which employs the use of a deck as the top chord thereof thereby resulting in the saving of material to a substantial degree while not adversely affecting the strength of the roof or floor construction employing these deck members.

In the utilization of deck members where long spans are required, it is highly important to employ materials which are so arranged and configurated that a comparatively rigid structure will be formed. However, because of the fact that the weight of the materials utilized in the construction which is the so-called dead weight necessary to achieve the proper rigidity, which is often too great to permit comparatively long spans, it is one of the particular advantages of this construction that very long spans can be utilized with a minimum of dead weight. This is achieved since the deck member which forms the upper chord is convoluted to form ribs for the deck member, thus further rigidifying the structure throughout its entire length.

By use of the open web formed from angularly extending rods extending between spaced gusset plates, a substantial saving in weight is achieved.

Inasmuch as the triangular-shaped gusset plates incorporated in the invention are directly attached as by welding to the deck, the open web being attached to the flanges of the plates supporting the deck and to the lower chord, stresses applied on the deck are properly transmitted.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a long span deck member that is strong and durable, simple in construction and assembly, capable of being used in the construction of buildings wherein concrete or the like can be poured on the deck to form a suitable floor or roof, and which is inexpensive to produce, thereby permitting wide utilization.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this long span deck member, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the long span deck member comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of this building member;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, as taken along the plane of line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 44 in Figure 3, illustrating the manner in which adjacent deck members are attached to each other;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the web is attached to the lower chord; and

v 2,924,310 Patented Feb. 9, 1960 Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view illustrating the manner in which the gusset plates of adjacent deck members are welded to each other.

With continuing reference to the accompanying draw ings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates a long span deck member constructed in accordance with the concept of the present invention which includes a deck 12 having upper substantially horizontal supporting surfaces, as at 14, together with downwardly extending substantially U-shaped convolutions 16.

The deck 12 is adapted to seat on the flanges 18 of substantially triangular-shaped gusset plates 20 which are arranged in spaced relationship, the gusset plates 20 extending substantially vertically with their apices at the lowestportions thereof. The gusset plates 20 are provided with apertures .22 therethrough adjacent the apices 24 of the gusset plates 20, and a lower chord 26 which may be of cylindrical shape is inserted in the apertures 22 and then welded to the gusset plates 20. it is to be especially noted that the deck 12 forms the upper chord of this long span deck member and the convoluted portions 16 form ribs which rigidify the entire construction.

The deck 12 is secured to the plates 20 by welds interconnecting the convoluted portions 16 and the flanges 18. An open web is formed by a plurality of pairs of rods 28 and 30 which have end portions as at 32 and 34, respectively, extending substantially horizontal and welded to the flanges 18. The other ends 36 and 38 of the rods 28 and 30 are welded to the lower chord 26 in abutting relationship with the next adjacent gusset plate 20 so that stresses applied on the deck member 14 will be transmitted to the gusset plates 20 and the chord 26.

it is to be noted that the deck members 10 may be arranged in side-by-side relationship with the flange portions 18 of the gusset plates 20, welded as at 40 to each other, and with the downwardly extending flange portion 42 of one deck 12 .seated in a convoluted portion 16 of the next adjacent deck 10. Hence, when concrete is poured on the deck members 10, the concrete will fill the hollows formed by the convoluted portions 16 and will interlock the flanges 42 within the convoluted portions 16. Further, the filling of concrete within the convoluted portions 16 will further rigidify the construction by enhancing the strength of the ribs formed thereby.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this long span deck member are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily ocour to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to,

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A deck construction for buildings and the like, said deck construction comprising a plurality of long span deck units disposed in side-by-side edge abutting relation, each of said deck units being of the self-sustaining type and including an upper chord member, at least one lower chord member and an open web fixedly interconnecting said upper chord member and said lower chord member, said upper chord member consisting solely of an elongated straight metal sheet which is relatively narrow in width as compared to its length, said open web being secured directly to the undersurface of said metal sheet, said metal sheets of said deck units being interconnected upper chord member for securing together a djacent upper chord memb rs iniedge abuttinglrelation to forrn a continuous deck. r

3. A long span deck unit of the self-sustaining trusstype comprising an "upper chord member, at least one lower chord member and an open web fixedly interconnecting said Qupper chord member and said lower chord member, said upper chord member consistingsolely of an elongated straight sheet. metal deck, which is relatively narrow in width as compared to its length, said open web having an upper part of a width substantially aswide as said deck forming member andbeing secured directly to said deck, said deck having longitudinallextending,

transversely spaced convolutions whereby bending of said deck from its plane is resisted, and means along edges of said upper chord member for securing together adjac ent upper chord members in edge abutting relation to form a continuous deck.

4. A long span deck unit of theself-sustaining truss type comprising an upper chord member, at, leastone lower chord member and an open web fixedly interconnecting said upper chord member and said lower chord member, said upper chord member consisting solely of an elongated straight sheet metal deck whichis relatively narrow in width as compared to its length, said open web having an upper part of a widthsubstantially as wide 1 as said deck forming member and being secured directly to said deck, said deck having longitudinal extending, transversely spaced convolutions whereby b ending of said deck from its plane is resisted, one edgeofsaid upper chord member terminating in an elongated socket and the other edge of said upper chord member terminating in a flange adapted to be received in a socket of a next adjacent upper chord member to provide a continuous deck. l

s. A deck construction for buildings and the like, said deck construction comprising a plurality of long span deck units disposed in side-by-side edge abutting relation, each of said deck units being of the self-sustaining type I and including an upper chord member, at least one lower chord member and an open 'web fixedly interconnecting said upper chord member and said lower chord member, said upper chord member consisting solely of an elongated straight metal sheet which is relatively narrow in width as compared to its length, said open web being secured directly to the undersurface of said metal sheet, said metal sheets of said deck units being interconnected in side-by-side abutting relation and forming a continuous deck, said metal sheet having longitudinally extending, transversely spaced convolutions whereby beinding of said deck from its plane is resisted.

6. A deck construction for buildings and the like, said deck construction comprising a pluralityqof, long span deck units disposed in side-by-side edge'abutting relation, each of said deck units beingof the self-sustaining type and includingan upper chord member, at least one lower chord member and an open web fixedly interconnecting said upper chord member and said lower chord member, said upper chord member consisting solely of an elongated straight metal sheet which'is relativelynarrow in width as compared to its length, said open web being secured directly to the undersurface of said metal, sheet, said metal sheets of said deck units being interconnected in side-by-side abutting relation'and forming acontinuous deck, 'said metal sheet having longitudinally extending, transversely spaced convolutions whereby bending of said deck from its plane is resisted, the connections" between adjacent metal sheets each includingan elongated socket extending the edge of one, of said. metal: sheets andan elongated flange extending along an adjacent edge of an adjacent metal sheet and seated said socket.

References' Cited in the file of thisf pgatent UNITEDVSTATESPATEINTS f 2,042,797 Nechin June 2," 193s 2,210,808 Glitsch 1 -",.-*Aug.-6 1940 2,427,021 7 Rapp Sept.9,'1947 2,809,074 McDonald Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 614,171

Great Britain 1 0, 1948 1 

